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rlpcdr Author

Level 1

33 points

Unable to open photos from iPhone on PC

Suddenly I'm unable to view photos on the iPhone with Windows photo app or windows file explorer. I can see the thumbnails on the computer but they won't open or let me save them to the PC. Have been copying photos from phone to pc for years without trouble. Windows photo app says "can't open this file because the format is currently unsupported or the file is corrupted.

I can toggle settings on the phone photos to show heic or jpg format with Automatic or Keep Originals settings. Neither works properly.

Windows, Windows 10

Posted on Aug 9, 2021 9:16 PM

Top-ranking reply

Ranouma

Level 1

8 points

Posted on Nov 26, 2021 9:26 PM

hi , just try the followings steps :

on iPhone go to : 1 - settings

2-photos

3-under section " transfer to mac or pc " choose "keep originals"

4- unplug the iPhone from pc usb port and pluged it again .

5- Try these steps more than once.

6-N.B.: use usb 2.0

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45 replies

rlpcdr Author

Level 1

33 points

Oct 1, 2021 1:06 PM in response to jsie508

We tried the One Photo App when I was working with Microsoft. It helped a tiny bit but still had multiple issues. The issue is more outside of the Photo App and has to do with USB and the communication between the phone and PC. Also nothing works right when you're trying to access the photos on the phone using file explorer -- which is what I've done for 10 years or more.

wrldendr

Level 1

8 points

Oct 3, 2021 10:59 AM in response to rlpcdr

rlpcdr - thank you so much for all of your help and answers, here. I opened a ticket with Microsoft Support and I was told I was not using the "appropriate" manner to import photos (using the file explorer, which I too have done for 10 years). I was advised to install iCloud, which of course my iPhone will not enable. If I'm able to MacGyver a solution, I will post back here.

rlpcdr Author

Level 1

33 points

Oct 3, 2021 11:44 AM in response to wrldendr

You should be able to import the photos with the windows photo app. That's what I'm doing as a work around now. Using iCloud is not the only/primary option as you were told. The problem with the photo app import is that you have to import everything or just the most recent pictures. You can't selectively and easily deal with just a photo or two like we used to be able to do with file explorer from the phone itself without importing using the photos app.

The Microsoft support person I worked with at the tier 3 support -- which is the highest you can get for a consumer -- has acknowledged they have a problem and will work to fix it in a future update.

Oct 12, 2021 5:41 AM in response to rlpcdr

Hi all as at 12/10/2021 the problem still exists. I used Microsoft Photos and used the import facility. This worked and the files were fine. Clearly Microsoft aren't going to be that interested in updating Windows 10 again when Windows 11 is around the corner. All Apple updates up to and including the post recent one 15.1 (?) do not seem to address it so they are either ignoring it or continuing to lay the blame at Microsoft's door. Once Windows 11 (bugs and all) is online then it will be interesting to see if the same issues exists.

rlpcdr Author

Level 1

33 points

Oct 13, 2021 5:11 AM in response to relayer246

I think the bulk of the problem here is on the Microsoft side. They've admitted to it and are supposedly working on a fix. That said -- they made no commitment when it would be resolved. I'll be setting up a Windows 11 machine in the coming weeks and will post back here to see if it still exists on 11.

The best we can do is keep making complaints so they have pressure to resolve the issue. The more complaints the better.

Have a Great Day!

rlpcdr Author

Level 1

33 points

Oct 15, 2021 11:47 AM in response to SirEduardo

This isn't the issue on my setup. I've had the twin files show up lately with live but figured out how to turn that off on the phone. Neither of the files is actually corrupt. You just can't open them with file explorer. Once they are imported with Photos app then they are fine.

rlpcdr Author

Level 1

33 points

Oct 15, 2021 11:50 AM in response to rlpcdr

Update as of a couple days ago. I was getting lots of errors every time I unplugged the phone. Microsoft has apparently fixed that issue with an update. The problem viewing photos with file explorer still exists.

GTGeek88

Level 1

12 points

Oct 16, 2021 3:33 PM in response to rlpcdr

I've run into this with the files sometimes being corrupted in some fashion. Also, I believe, I've seen the cable disconnect thing. But in dealing with this just now, I copied the "corrupted" ones over a second time and they seem to be fine after that. Kind of a hassle, but at least it's a workaround.

rlpcdr Author

Level 1

33 points

Oct 22, 2021 8:03 AM in response to relayer246

Glad to hear Windows 11 seems work ok. My experience is a little better but not yet 100%. Still can't open a picture directly from file explorer. But -- can copy and delete directly off the phone which was my biggest issue. Can see the thumbnails directly from the phone. Still getting the occasional disconnect error message but not as often. So it looks like Microsoft is making some progress on the fix with the latest updates.

Oct 27, 2021 4:46 PM in response to rlpcdr

I am having this problem too and I seem to remember having it before and I guess it resolved itself somehow. I have downloaded my iPhone photos to my PC using the USB cable and File Explorer for several years. The first photo will render but it takes forever and for the next file Like everyone else I am getting the file is corrupted error. I hope somebody gets this fixed soon as it is very annoying.

Nov 8, 2021 7:52 AM in response to rlpcdr

Hello all,

I read thru all of this and just could not get it to work. I copied several directories over this weekend and got to one directory that had a bunch of corrupt files that I could not open or copy. So, I unplugged everything as I had been copying for about 20 minutes. Then switched the iPhone to a different USB port and voila, all the corrupt files from before were just fine and I was able to copy. So - I don't know if it was the port or really just the amount of files I was copying (1,000 or more photos). Try both of these and hopefully one will work.